How to Make a 4 hole Native American Flute

Learn to make a 4 hole Native American Flute with these simple steps. Be sure to check our other videos for specifics on the track and sound holes as well as how to make numerous other flutes and whistles! Visit us on the web at www.bluebearflutes.com and be sure to subscribe to my channel here on KZbin!

[@MrCarmenator8]

Great video, good detail with measurements too thanks!

[@nasiriqbalflute]

Super works 💥

[@jgort01]

As allways great vid. Thanks for giving us your time and I am glad all is well :) Am looking forward to your other vids and book :)

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Jens Gort Thanks Jens. Hoping to have some good news for everyone this coming week ;)

[@maxbrumbergflutes]

Overtone flutes are also very nice to make ;-)

[@simonbar7665]

Big like

[@christianmirtelstet529]

great stuff

[@frediabell211]

Do you give lessons

[@mrbrown6421]

Set play speed to slowest. At 26:42 a dirt dobber (mud wasp) flies by. It actually has a ball of mud in its mouth, and is on its way to clog up another flute. I am not kidding. We have these things in North Central Florida, and they will plug up any thing that looks like a hole.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Amazing observation! On the upside, they do sell dirt-dobber and carpenter bee houses made out of a similar material to put in your garden to help control pests.

[@mrbrown6421]

@@BlueBearFlutes- Hi Charlie (and company)! I hope ya'll are doing great. I am really enjoying my new (cane) flute making hobby (and your book), with many thanks to you and your much appreciated details. Today was another breakthrough day as I made different burning tools and greatly improved the shape of the blow/sound holes. Wow! If only I could turn to you and ask a question, (Like: How do I control wet out?) Best to all! Mr. Brown Gainesville, FL.

[@NMranchhand]

BlueBearFlutes Well, I’ll be darned! Learn something every day.

[@alleycat4430]

Hi Charlie, great vid. We have made a 4 hole flute out of 3/4" PVC. With all holes closed it is at G 394 Hz. We used your measurements for the 4 hole placement . The flute is 17 3/4"long. To what key do we tune each of the holes to? Thanks, we are having lots of fun now, can't wait to start practicing.

[@lukehebert6207]

Your videos helped me make my first bamboo flutes! I modeled them after Irish flutes in terms of tuning, though. One question! What tool do you use at 16:34 to enlarge your finger holes? Thank you sir :)

[@robertreeves2241]

Can you make a flute from about 2" wide bamboo., If so let me know.

[@user-bz9uc1yv3f]

It is a traditional Korean musical instrument made of bamboo and has six holes.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

🙂👍

[@larzhillbot1443]

I really like the 4 hole flute. Can it be made with a bigger bore like 3/4 inch ?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

The Eastern Red Cedar Key of A 4-hole flute that we make has a 3/4 inch bore. It sounds pretty great in my opinion! Other sizes could be made however there are some constraints that would change here and there. Also the original ones were small. Thanks again for watching my friend!

[@c.e.f4916]

Do you have any videos on Navajo style flutes?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Flute types across the Americas were all very similar and I am pretty sure that a flute never met anyone of a specific tribe. It is to say that most peoples made most types of flutes.

[@caseylee8287]

I want to make a deep tone flute , Preferably out of bamboo, because My neighbors have plenty of it and I can mess up LOL.... The Deepest tone possible.. I love deep tones its so calming to me. Do you Have a video on Deep tone flutes?!!! I Never made a flute before , but I can try :D..

[@BlueBearFlutes]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHqkhoqYiZ55qMk kzbin.info/www/bejne/poCXhZ2tiMuUhqc

[@stum2730]

Love that little 4 hole flute, and you play very well from what i can tell.....would love one for my camping bag so may have to try making one-as live in UK and shipping cost ect would be unrealistic for what it is, shame as i would rather give you the money ;-(

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Stu M Hi Stu. Everything on my website includes free worldwide shipping. Check it out www.bluebearflutes.com

[@justusHmidkidnonstop]

My flute im trying to make keeps skipping over the lowest set of notes. I dont know which octave that is. Any tips on how to fix it.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

+justus “midkidnonstop” H. I will need to see the flute to make a good assessment. Please send me an email via my website contact form or find me on Facebook and send a pic. facebook.com/bluebearflutes

[@srikandiwarion1422]

what do you use to make the hole all the way through the tube, to pass the node section? my drill sets are all too short for that.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

+Srikandi Warion You can use any sort of tube/rod and a slight tap of a hammer. Be careful not to hit it too hard or it may crack. Sometimes I use an aluminum arrow shaft and a hammer.

[@srikandiwarion1422]

BlueBearArts I see, ok thank you for the handy tips, much appreciated :-)

[@skipmackenna7057]

I found a 24 inch 3/8" diameter bit at Lowes. If planned right I can have a very long flute with the nodes drilled out carefully. I only hope I can learn all that Charlie is teaching.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Usually we use a paddle bit, but if that's not long enough to reach then we just knock it out with an aluminum arrow shaft and a hammer lightly tapping. I also have a dowel with a piece of rough sand paper glued into a notch at the end which I can then put into my drill and clean the hole up a bit.

[@HomsteadingThePioneerWay]

WHAT DO YOU GET FOR YOUR 4 AND 6 HOLE FLUTES?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Hello and thank you for your comment. All of the flutes and their prices are available on my website at www.bluebearflutes.com. Thanks for watching!

[@HomsteadingThePioneerWay]

Thanks

[@blajing]

Wow, do you offer any River Cane rhizomes...being the only native Bamboo to Turtle Island???

[@BlueBearFlutes]

There are actually about three different species of native river cane not to mention one species that washed up about 10,000 years ago. I don't sell any of it however. I used to, just not today.

[@blajing]

@@BlueBearFlutes Interesting...like 3 different subspecies/varieties of Arundinaria gigantea? And what is the other one that arrived 10K years ago? Maybe you should make a whole River Cane vid for us plant buffs out here?!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@blajing I have made a video about collecting materials for the day which included two of them.. 10,000 years ago was a. donax. The other two are not a. gigantea. Not sure of their European Botanical names however there is a good downloadable PDF from the USDA about cane made by Native people.

[@skwattattoo8307]

Wish have a vid for beginer or how to pick a right size of bamboo. Just saying :)

[@skipmackenna7057]

That would be useful for me too. Right now, I take the dimensions that Charlie has given in his videos, put them on a template, and it seems to work for the 3/4 inch inside diameter. At first, I was getting too short between the last hole and end of the flute - learned to cut them longer to start. Still need to understand the technique Charlie showed cutting a little off the end to get tuning right. Then I have to remember all he is teaching... About 50% of the flutes I am making go bad for simple mistakes. I started using the 'fosner' drill bit and destroyed a root cut bamboo flute blank that I worked on about 10 hours, now that is a mistake that taught me to pay attention. Thanks for your request I hope to watch it when it gets made.

[@YogacharyaAbhishekSharma]

How to make indian been....... Please make a video for making of indian been......{sapera been (pungi)}

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Hopefully I can make a video for one of those some day soon!

[@vasyayatsenko9427]

I am so sure that you will find good way to make it on woodprix.

[@dagnachewbayou7105]

Hi there, do you sell pentatonic flutes?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Yes: bluebearflutes.com

[@user-bz9uc1yv3f]

So call Deaguam.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Cool!

[@osdahey5301]

sounds great🦅🌲🌽.. just saying hey"shiyo"wouldn't know a opossum named "Myron"😉😁

[@grahamwill7361]

dunno if anyone gives a damn but if you're bored like me during the covid times then you can watch pretty much all of the new movies and series on Instaflixxer. Have been streaming with my brother recently :)

[@sterlingronnie9739]

@Graham Will yea, I have been watching on instaflixxer for years myself :)

[@calebkeoho7457]

Im having problems with my flutes no matter what i do they can only play the lower two notes whether i do a plug or a track and it makes me mad because i have made five of them and they all have the same problem!!!

[@frediabell211]

Do you give flute lessons

[@BlueBearFlutes]

I have in the recent past and have decided to make those lessons free and post them here on KZbin! Please check them out! Be sure to subscribe!

[@bigrich1356]

hey, love all your videos. I was wondering if you've ever used Japanese knot weed to make flutes? I have tons of it around here and I'm not sure if it'll work. thank you

[@BlueBearFlutes]

I have been asked that question before. I have not used it, however I have read that it is edible, so therefore should be safe for using as flute material. I'm not sure how well it dries, so try it out and let me know how it goes!

[@bigrich1356]

I tried to make one and it makes noise but I've never made one before and it's way outta tune. I'm using 1/2 inch rebar to clean the inside out. how long should I make it to be in tune? I'm looking to make it a 6 hole flute so I'm curious where to put the holes too. any help would be appreciated.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Here's a video on making the 6 hole (it's 2 parts) kzbin.info/www/bejne/o6m0kpWHZ8agqbc It has all of the measurements you need in it as well as the instruction.

[@joelb2297]

We have the noxious weed "Japanese Knot Weed" here in Ontario, -it is an invasive specie. It does resemble bamboo to some degree...

[@GuyBaldridge54]

I was told that the first flute only had three holes?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

+Guy Baldridge There are many people that believe that each tribe made specific hole flutes, however all of the flutes that were originally discovered follow a certain type of "pattern" that is to say people first played hollow tubes without holes. Next, and some of my favorite, are the bird whistles. They were tubes with a hole in the middle that was blown across and the ends were played. After this it was determined that the holes could change the tone and people decided to add holes to the front of the tube and play it from the end. Of course prior to this hollow tubes were played from the end without holes as well. The " first flute" that you may have been told about is one of my favorites which has 4 holes and is broken on the 4th hole so it appears to only have 3, however it stands to reason that the first flute would have had no holes then down the line 2 then three and so on. The first of anything is always a matter of viewpoint/perspective.

[@edlechleiter7042]

Probably first " flute " had no holes .

[@DROY2004]

Less history, more building!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Dan Roy if you don't want to learn then I suggest not watching my channel. Its easy to click a button and move on.

[@larzhillbot1443]

@@BlueBearFlutes i like the history and thank you for it;

[@BlueBearFlutes]

@@larzhillbot1443 you bet my friend!

[@tennwalt]

Watched several of your flute making video's and not once seen how you make a flute outside of drilling the holes, you never show the mouthpiece construction of the piece of wood that goes inside the flute?

[@BlueBearFlutes]

I have several videos showing just that. Not all of the flutes I make have a piece of wood that goes inside the flute. There is a partition inside the flute which I explain time and time again. I recently uploaded a video on making a 4 hole flute from pvc which I show in great detail how to make the wooden plug. check it out.

[@ThuHuong-ri2fy]

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[@BlueBearFlutes]

I know what you mean, I feel like I have to say that sometimes too!

[@pecangrover5825]

TMI

[@BlueBearFlutes]

As mentioned above, if you don't want to pay attention and learn then just turn it off, It's really not that hard.

[@markcornel8004]

What is the name of the book is that sir

[@m.3467]

men check out my peoples flute called mantura μαντουρα greek instrament

[@charlesfrench4846]

ha you said rim blown vergin

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Charles French no. Don't think so. Thanks for watching though!

[@BlueBearFlutes]

Pretty sure I didn't say that.

[@MrYort13]

History is more forgiving than today? You seem to discount Aztec Indians ate the hearts and livers of people. Or Jamaica half the people there just ate people. Apaches just killed thousands as they went across the country. A did the over 500 tribes wared with each other. The peaceful Indian is a myth. Ever heard of the French and Indian war? But nice flute, You just have history messed up.

[@BlueBearFlutes]

"K"

[@ChrisCassady]

MrYort13 , you sir need a history lesson, not the TV and movie crap, not to mention what we were taught in school in the 50s and 60s

[@mrfixitusa6165]

My friend, it sounds like you are bending to the pressure of a modern mentality that demands perfect precision, but perfect precision is not the spirit in which these instruments were made 2000-3000 years ago. Those makers followed their heart and the flowing "imperfections" of nature, not precision instruments and exact measuring machines. I understand that people keep demanding microscopic measurements and exact blueprints, but I think they are missing the whole point. You are trying to please ....and it's wearing on you to conform to that, instead of following the spirit of the making of the instrument. They can get so lost in their demand for exacts, that they totally miss the experience of letting the instrument find it's own sound. It's those "imperfections" and the spirit of working WITH the natural material, that allow the instrument to find it's own voice. If they want perfection, let them use man made PVC pipes or plastic tubes. But the ancestors worked with nature and let it find it's own sound, instead of trying to conquer it with their exact "perfect" measurements. Follow the spirit of it, and teach it the way YOU make them, not the way others demand you teach it. It's an instrument of nature, and nature grows in variations, unique differences, imperfections. But it's those "imperfections" that make it's music sound so much more natural.